Rider of Montunui
by OfficialWhiteFireTheDragon
Summary: Two years before the events of Te Fiti Moana comes across an unconscious boy not from her island after a storm. He wakes up and runs off and Moana chases after to find out that he is much more than a normal person. He is a dragon rider with the ability to read minds.
1. Chapter 1 The Storm

Powerful wind howled as a massive dragon struggled to stay in the air. He tried to get above the storm but it seemed to have a mind of its own. The dragon wasn't just fighting for his life but for the life of his young rider Zyon who sat hunkered down between the dragon's massive shoulder blades. The dragon glanced back at his rider.

"I'm Ok Hailstorm." Zyon assured.

Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck the dragon's wing causing him to cry out in pain and jerk sending his rider plummeting towards the ocean below. "Hailstorm!" Zyon cried out and the dragon dove after him.

Lightning illuminated the ground below to reveal that they were not heading for the ocean but towards an island. Hailstorm managed to catch his rider in the tips of his claws but couldn't slow down fast enough to keep from crashing on the island. The force of the impact caused Hailstorm to roll violently and throw his rider. Zyon was thrown to a different part of the island where he crashed into some coconut trees and landed in some bushes. Neither Zyon nor Hailstorm moved.

* * *

Moana walked out of her fale and glanced at the clear blue sky. It was hard to believe there had been such a massive storm the night before until she looked at the damage it had caused. Many of the fales were damaged, the community fale worst of all, and several trees had been ripped up by the roots, not to mention the debris everywhere. She couldn't even imagine the shape the canoes were in. It was going to be a long day. She and several other villagers began righting and replanting the salvageable trees when Moana heard what sounded like someone groaning in pain. At first Moana thought she had imagined it but then she heard it again. Someone was hurt. Moana hurried to where she had heard the sound only to find a boy who looked to be her age but he wasn't anyone from her village. In fact, he didn't look like anyone she had ever seen before. He had very short, very curly hair and his skin was a rich dark brown much like a coconut shell. Beyond that he was wearing furs of animals she had never seen before. Not something one would expect an islander to wear.

"Hey I need a healer over here!" Moana called.

Some villagers carried the stranger to the healer's hut. They removed most of his clothes to survey the damage to his body.

"How is he?" Moana asked.

"Hard to say." The healer admitted. "His dark skin conceals most of the bruising but nothing appears to be broken."

"Will you tell me when he wakes up?" Moana requested.

"You will be the second person to know after your father. Now shoo so I can work." The healer dismissed.

Moana reluctantly left the hut. The healer continued to dab the boys forehead with cold water trying to cool him down. She didn't know how someone could wear such clothes.

"Hail?" Zyon whispered.

The healer looked down to see the boy was awake. Zyon vision focused to see the stranger over him.

"Where am I?" he asked the healer.

"Motunui" the healer answered.

"I need to go find Hail." Zyon said trying to get up but the healer pushed him back down.

"No you need to rest." She insisted.

"You don't understand. Hail is extremely protective of me."

"Don't worry I will send some of the villagers to find your friend." The healer assured turning to get some fresh water for the boy.

Zyon took the opportunity to run.

"Hey! Come back!" The healer called as he ran through the tapas.

Moana heard the healers cry and saw Zyon run into the forest. She ran after him.

"Wait!" Moana called but he either didn't hear her or was ignoring her.

"Hail!" Zyon called.

He was fast and Moana soon lost sight of him. Zyon reached his mind out and found his very upset dragon. He ran to the dragon who gave a happy purr at the site of his rider.

 _I thought I lost you_ Hailstorm admitted as he lightly bumped his snout to his rider's forehead.

"I've had never been to this part of the island." Moana though to herself as she broke through the underbrush to see the hundred-foot dragon. It had massive claws and teeth along with large horns and light blue scales that looked like ice. The thing that caught Moana's attention where the glowing blue eyes. Moana was so scared that she couldn't even scream. Hailstorm glanced up and growled baring his large fangs. Zyon turned noticing the girl.

"No Hail its Ok. She's not going to hurt me." Zyon assured. "Right um…"

Moana glanced between Zyon and Hailstorm before she realized he had asked for her name.

"Mo… Moana." She stuttered.

"Moana this is Hailstorm." Zyon introduced slowly moving closer to the terrified girl and taking her hand. "He's not going to hurt you. Let me show you."

He led the terrified girl closer to the dragon. Moana's heart was beating so hard she was sure it was going to jump out of her chest. Zyon placed her on the dragon's snout and Moana was forced to look into his glowing eyes. Hailstorm took in her scent as he looked the girl over. Moana's fear turned to wonder as the dragon's eyes softened and closed. Moana began to stroke the dragon's smooth scales. Hailstorm dozed off from the soft stroking.

Zyon climbed up to the saddle to check the pack and that his war hammer was still attached.

"You know you never mentioned your name." Moana commented as she continued to stroke the dragon.

"It's Zyon." He said looking up from checking his dragon's wings.

"Zyon? I've never heard a name like that before." Moana smiled.

Zyon hadn't realized it until now but she was really pretty, way prettier than any of the girls back home and Hailstorm seemed to like her too.

"What?" Moana asked noticing him staring.

"Nothing, Hailstorm just thinks your nice." Zyon told her.

"Oh right the dragon talks." Moana laughed.

"No he can't, I can hear his thoughts." He clarified.

"You can hear his thoughts?" Moana questioned not believing him.

"Yeah I can yours too." Zyon said catching her attention.

"Alright what am I thinking?" Moana challenged.

"You're thinking that I'm a liar and are looking forward to telling your grandma Tala about Hailstorm." Zyon stated.

Moana's eyes widened with disbelief.

"Whoa!" she gasped "So where are you from Zyon?"

"I'm from a village called Igaliko." Zyon informed her.

"Where's that?" Moana asked.

"You know I don't really know. I don't even know where here is relative to there." He admitted.

"Well I can't help you there." Moana stated. "No one ever leaves the island so we don't know where anything is other than Motunui."

"Great I had to crash land on the one island where nobody can navigate." Zyon thought to himself.

* * *

"Moana!" someone called in the distance. Moana recognized it as her father.

Word had gotten around about the stranger and Tui being the over protective father he was had gathered his warriors to find his missing daughter. They burst through the brush to see Moana petting the dragon. They directed their spears towards the sleeping dragon.

"Dad wait!" Moana called as they advanced on the dragon.

Hailstorm opened his eyes to see the new threat. Zyon leapt from the back of his dragon with his great war hammer in the path of the warriors.

"You hurt my dragon I will hurt you." He threatened striking a warrior's stance stopping them in their tracks.

"Your dragon?" Tui questioned.

"Yes my dragon. I'm his rider." Zyon stated.

"That's impossible!" One of the warriors challenged. "No one can ride a dragon."

 _Should I eat them?_ Hailstorm asked earning him a look from Zyon as he mounted the saddle.

Hailstorm took his cue and flew around the island once and landed in front of the warriors.

"You were saying?" Zyon smirked.

"What are you doing on our island?" Tui demanded.

"We got caught in a storm and crashed here." Zyon informed him.

"Your dragon seems to be able to fly so I'm going to have to ask you to leave our island." Tui ordered.

"Fine by me but can I have my clothes back?" Zyon requested. "It's a lot colder where I'm going."

"Very well." Tui agreed.

Hailstorm followed behind the warriors ready to strike at any of them who threatened his rider. Zyon walked surrounded by the warriors. Tui was sure to keep himself between Moana and the stranger. Zyon had Hailstorm stay within the edge of the forest. There was no need to freak out the rest of the villagers. They walked to the healer's hut to retrieve his clothes when suddenly a ruckus could be heard from the beach. Everyone ran to the beach to see a giant thirty-foot tall eel. It began snatching canoes out of the water and throwing them in every direction. The warriors through spears at the eel but they only bounced off. Much to everyone's surprise the eel laughed.

"You humans are so pathetic without your precious demigod to protect you." He said.

"What demigod?" Zyon called catching the eels attention.

"Well you don't seem to be from around here." The eel sneered moving closer to the boy. "So let me explain. Maui the despicable demigod he is killed my ancestor so that you humans could have coconuts and since I can't find him I'm taking it out of you human's hide."

"I don't think so!" Zyon yelled swinging his war hammer as hard as he could.

The hard iron slammed into the eel's jaw and broke off one of his teeth. The eel growled angrily as he snapped at the small human. Zyon cried out as the sharp point of one of the eel's teeth scraped up his back. The cry and smell of his rider's blood was all it took for Hailstorm to leap from his hiding place into the water. The wave created by the dragon froze in ice before it could reach shore. Zyon landed hard on the ice. The eel gave a monstrous screech at the site of the dragon. Hailstorm slashed at him but the eel was quicker and attempted to bite the dragon's arm but couldn't penetrate the hard armor scales. Hailstorm threw the eel across the ice and fired his ice breath at the eel. The eel screamed in pain as he managed to slide off the ice and back into the water.

"This isn't over!" the eel hissed before disappearing beneath the waves.

Hailstorm growled as if to say that it was.

Hailstorm laid down pulling his unconscious rider closer to him and began licking him. Even from the shore Zyon's blood could be seen on the ice. The villagers couldn't believe what they had witnessed. Here was this monster who had protected them from a second monster possibly at the cost of his human. Moana was the first to move.

"Moana don't!" Tui protested.

"It's Ok dad." Moana assured.

She stepped out onto the ice and was shocked to feel how cold it was and that it was solid. No one on Motunui had ever seen ice.

"Hailstorm?" Moana called but the dragon ignored her and continued to clean off his rider. "Hailstorm he needs a healer or he will die."

She touched the dragon's paw and he stopped. The dragon studied her for what seemed like forever before opening his paws and letting Moana take his rider.

* * *

It took a couple weeks for Zyon to wake up. As it turns out the monster eel had a poisonous bite.

"Hail?" Zyon groaned as he opened his eyes to find himself back in the healer's hut.

"Hail is fine." Moana assured.

"Keep an eye on him while I go get some more water." The healer requested. "I don't want him running off again."

"How do I keep ending up here." Zyon sighed. Moana laughed.

"That was really brave what you did." She told him.

"Where is Hailstorm?" Zyon asked.

"He hasn't moved since the battle with the eel. Not even when whatever he did to the water wore off. It's almost like he's standing guard." Moana informed him.

"What do you mean?" Zyon asked.

"The water turned white and solid and it didn't move." Moana said.

"Oh that's just ice." Zyon explained. "Hailstorm is an ice dragon."

"What's ice?" Moana asked.

"It's what happens when water gets to cold." He explained and Moana's eyes lit up with wonder.

"You've never seen ice before?" She shook her head.

"Wow I've been a lot of places but nowhere that doesn't see ice." Zyon commented

"You've been to other parts of the world?" Moana gasped.

Zyon nodded.

"Moana go help your grandmother" Tui ordered entering the hut. "I need to speak with our guest."

Moana nodded as she departed.

"I understand that you are lost." Tui started.

"Yes sir." Zyon nodded.

"I have spoken with the council and in light of recent events we would like you to stay." Tui requested.

His offer shocked Zyon. "Thank you sir, I will need time to consider you offer." He requested.

"Of course." Tui nodded.


	2. Chapter 2 Darkness and Dreams

It had been two years since the incident with the eel. Many of the villagers had come to accept Zyon as a member of the community and a warrior. They had helped him construct his own hut. While the village had accepted him. Hailstorm was another matter. He was allowed to remain on the island but only in a cove on the other side of the island and he had to fly far away from the island for food. The eel didn't come back and no other monster dared to come near the island. Because Hailstorm was not allowed in the village Zyon spent most of his time with his dragon and only used his hut to store Hailstorm's saddle and his souvenirs from when he traveled. He certainly looked different in his island attire compared to the furs he once wore. Moana was the only one who didn't seem to be bothered by Hailstorm and often visited him and Zyon. Despite the fact that she now had a number of suitors and her father's protests Moana and Zyon had begun seeing one another. He had wooed her with stories of the places he and Hailstorm had been showing of his souvenirs to her. He even secretly took her out on flights at night which was exactly why Tui didn't want Moana around him. Moana loved the flights but it wasn't the same as sailing. Tui wasn't the only one who didn't want the two in a relationship. Hailstorm often got jealous of the time his rider spent with her. The dragon like Moana and all but she always seemed to cut into his bro time with Zyon. When Zyon did go to the village he enjoyed listening to Moana and her grandma Tala about their gods and ancestors.

Zyon began to have uneasy dreams. He kept getting flashes of a hawk, a lava monster and someone screaming in pain. He jolted awake covered in a cold sweat. Hailstorm glanced at his rider concerned. "I'm alright Hail, it was just a dream." Zyon assured. He glanced out to the horizon to see that the sun was just beginning to rise. "I'll be back later Hail." Zyon promised.

 _I'm going out for a hunt. Perhaps I can find more than I did last time_. Hailstorm informed his rider before taking off.

Zyon made his way to the village trying to wake himself up.

"Good morning Zyon." Tala greeted observing his appearance. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thank you but I think those stories you tell are getting to me." He admitted.

"Oh?" Tala questioned. "What about them is troubling you?"

"I keep having these dreams, well there more like flashes." Zyon told her.

"And what are you seeing?" Tala asked.

"Te Ka and a hawk fighting mostly." Zyon shrugged.

"Hmm interesting." Tala commented. "Moana tells me that you can hear the thoughts of others."

Zyon's expression changed to one of fear. He had asked her not to tell anyone about that. Even people from his village treated him differently when they found out about his gift.

"It's alright. No one else knows." She assured not needing powers to know what he was thinking. "Have you considered that this might have something to do with your powers of the mind?"

Before had a chance to respond Moana had her arms wrapped around him from behind. "Hi Zy!" she smiled standing on her tip toes to look over his shoulder.

"Hey Mo." Zyon greeted kissing her cheek as best as he could.

"What are you doing in the village?" she asked.

"Hail is out hunting so I thought I would make myself useful." He stated.

"Again? Didn't he just go out yesterday?" Moana questioned.

"Yeah but he didn't find much of anything." Zyon informed her.

"Hope he has better luck today." She said. "Is there any chance you can help with the harvest today?"

"Sure?" Zyon nodded before being led away.

Tala couldn't help but smile at the site. "Ah young love." She thought to herself before heading down to the water's edge.

* * *

Zyon husked coconuts for most of the day. He couldn't help but notice that for some strange many were black. The same could be said for many of the other plants. The only thing close to this that he had seen was frostbite and he was certain this was different and it wasn't good. Others were taking about it too. It was decided that a meeting would be held later that night. Like Zyon many of the villagers had noticed the condition of the crops and there was also a lack of fish being caught. Everyone was beginning to panic.

"Please everyone calm down." Tui requested. "We will dig new fields, plant new crops. Zyon is there any way you and your dragon could assist us in catching more fish until we can figure out what's going on?"

"I can try chief but even Hailstorm seems to be having trouble finding fish. He's been forced to go out more often." Zyon informed him.

Suddenly Moana burst in. "We can save our island! There's a cavern of huge canoes. We can take them find Maui and make him restore the heart of Te Fiti. We were voyagers, we can voyage again!" Moana proclaimed.

The villagers glanced at one another some with looks of concern others confusion. Tui's face was one of anger. "We will resume this in the morning. I have to deal with my daughter." He stated rising to his feet.

Zyon could only watch as Moana followed her father continuing to insist on her plan. Zyon wanted to go to her aid but he knew better than to challenge a chief.

"Wonder if Hailstorm is back." Zyon wondered to himself.

"Zyon!" a hushed whisper called. It was so quiet he thought he had imagined it until it called again. Zyon followed the source of the voice and found Tala clutching her chest and barely able to stand.

"Tala are you alight?" Zyon asked moving to help support her.

"My heart." Tala gasped.

Zyon and another villager helped her back to her hut where the healer waited.

"Thank you Zyon." The healer nodded. "We will take it from here."

Zyon left and made it halfway to Hailstorm's cove when he felt a wave of wind pass through him. He glanced back knowing that Tala had passed. Hailstorm wasn't back yet so Zyon leaned against a tree. He eventually dozed off.

* * *

"Zyon?" Tui shook him awake.

Zyon opened his eyes to see that it was morning. "Chief?" Zyon questioned surprised to see him here. "What happened?"

"Moana is missing. Have you seen her?" Tui asked.

"No I haven't, sorry chief." Zyon apologized.

"I can't find her anywhere." Tui sighed.

Zyon glanced back and noticed that Hailstorm had not returned. "I can help look for her." He offered.

Zyon along with every villager searched for Moana with no luck.

"I don't understand where she could be." Tui exclaimed as Zyon reported back to him.

"You won't find her on the island." Sina spoke up. "She's gone to find Maui."

"You knew and you didn't say something?" Tui asked.

"You know she is right." Sina insisted.

"Even if she is she does not know how to sail or survive at sea." Tui stated.

"She may not but I know how to survive at sea." Zyon reminded them.

"Zyon as chief of this village I am asking you to bring my daughter home."

Zyon nodded before going to get Hailstorm's saddle. He turned and was surprised to find Sina standing behind him.

"Zyon I am asking as Moana's mother not to bring her home but to protect her." Sina requested.

"You want me to go against Tui's wishes?" Zyon asked.

"No, Moana will come back in her own time but I'm sure you know the open sea can be unforgiving." Sina stated.

Zyon considered what she was saying before finally nodding.

"Thank you." Sina said letting him pass with the saddle and a few supplies.

Zyon glanced up in time to see Hailstorm land on the other side of the island. He practically ran the rest of the way to his dragon.

 _Oh good you're here. There's something you need to see._ Hailstorm informed his rider as he was saddled.

"It's going to have to wait Hail. We have to find Moana." Zyon said climbing on the dragon's back.

 _Trust me this you'll want to see_. Hailstorm insisted taking flight and hovering high above the island.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?" Zyon asked.

 _Look down._ Hailstorm ordered.

Zyon did as instructed and was surprised to see the normally green island appeared to be blackening.

"That's not good." Zyon commented _._

 _It's much worst on the other islands I have seen_. Hailstorm reported.

"I hope Moana can actually fix this." Zyon stated as they fly through the sky searching for her.


	3. Chapter 3 Maui

Zyon and Hailstorm searched through the night and well into the next day. By then Zyon was exhausted. _You should get some rest. My eyes are better than yours anyway. I will wake you when I find her_. Hailstorm promised. It felt as if Zyon had only closed his eyes when Hailstorm woke him _. I found her and she's not alone._ The dragon informed him.

Zyon glanced down and could make out a canoe that could only be Moana's. He could also make out two people on the beach of a very small island the smaller of which he assumed was Moana.

"Go." Zyon ordered.

Hailstorm dove kicking up a spray of water as he landed. At the sight of the large dragon the man took up a fighting stance.

"Get behind me kid." He ordered pushing Moana behind him.

Hailstorm gave a warning growl at this new human.

"Easy Hailstorm." Zyon soothed as he slid off the dragon's back and took in the appearance of the large heavily tattooed man before him. He looked very similar to the tapas of the demigod Moana was searching for. This could only be Maui.

"Zyon?" Moana said peaking around the demigod. "What are you doing here?"

"Your parents sent me to find you." Zyon informed her.

If looks could Zyon would be dead from the glare Moana was giving him.

"Are you kidding me?" Moana demanded walking over to him grabbing him by the ear.

"Moana." Zyon started but she cut him off.

"I am not going back until Maui restores the heart." Moana stated.

"Moana." He tried again.

"I mean did you really think you could just show up and drag me back to Motunui?" she questioned.

"No!" Zyon stated a little more forceful than indented. "I'm here to help you."

"What?" Moana asked not sure she had heard him correctly.

"You dad may have asked me to bring you back but your mom knows better and so do I." Zyon told her.

Maui who hadn't been paying attention couldn't stop staring at Hailstorm. He even went as far as to approach the dragon. Hailstorm gave a slight warning growl bringing his head down to the demigod's level. Maui had traveled all over the world and there was only one region he had seen this type of dragon.

"Well you're a long way from home, aren't you?" he asked looking at the saddle the dragon wore.

Hailstorm continued to growl even as Maui put out his hand like he had seen Zyon do to calm the supposed tame dragon. Hailstorm wasn't having though. He snapped his teeth only inches from Maui's hand catching Zyon and Moana's attention.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Hailstorm's not fond of strangers." Zyon warned.

Maui glanced back at the two humans. "Well nice meeting you kids but I've got business elsewhere." He said jumping on the dragon's back and kicking him with his heels.

Hailstorm growled loudly as he glanced back at the demigod. Maui quickly realized he had made a mistake but Hailstorm wasn't letting him get away with this insult so easily. Before Maui could jump off the dragon leapt into the air and began flying wildly performing extremely complicated acrobatic maneuvers. The demigod could do nothing but hold on for dear life.

On the ground, Moana looked on in horror while Zyon wore a grin of amusement.

"Zyon, call Hailstorm off." Moana ordered grabbing him by the ear again. "We need Maui to restore the heart and he's not going to do that if your crazy dragon hurts him."

"Alright fine." Zyon sighed. "Hailstorm I think he gets the message."

The dragon stopped hearing his rider's telepathy almost throwing Maui off his back.

 _Why do you have to ruin my fun?_ Hailstorm asked.

"Come on Hail we need the demigod to actually help us." Zyon reminded the dragon.

 _Fine but if tries that again all bets are off._ Hailstorm warned.

The dragon landed hard this time throwing Maui off. Mini Maui began laughing his head off. The demigod got up and brushed the sand off of himself before glaring at the tattoo and then back at the dragon.

"Sorry but Hailstorm doesn't just let anyone ride him." Zyon said stepping between the two trying to keep a fight from breaking out.

"As I was saying, Maui, you will board my boat journey across the sea and restore the heart of Te Feti." Moana ordered.

"Ah no." Maui refused.

"Ok. Come on Moana." Zyon said as he walked towards Hailstorm.

"What are you doing?" Moana hissed as she followed.

"Trust me." Zyon whispered.

Moana understood what he was trying to do. Maui smiled thinking that he had gotten his way until the dragon pushed the canoe into the water and set Moana on it.

"Hey wait you can't just leave me here!" Maui called.

"Pretty sure we can." Zyon replied as Hailstorm pushed the canoe further into the water. "You don't want to help us so why should we help you?"

Maui suddenly realized what they were doing but he played along. He was a trickster after all.

"So, you're saying that if I go with you now you'll help me?" Maui asked giving his most innocent looking smile.

"Pretty much." Moana stated.

"Fine if that's what it takes to get me off this island." Maui said as he walked through water and climbed on the canoe. He pulled the sheet causing the sail to better catch the wind ad accelerate the canoe away from the island. As soon as they were in water to deep for Moana to stand he tossed her over board and sailed faster.

"Well we should have seen that coming." Zyon commented. "Let's get him Hail."

But Hailstorm was distracted by something. The ocean had risen up and appeared to be looking up at him almost like it was alive. It picked up Moana and torpedoed her towards the canoe which was now a dot on the blue surface. The ocean again rose up and gestured for the dragon to follow.

"Alright that I didn't see coming." Zyon commented as Hailstorm took to the sky.

Zyon watched as Maui threw Moana off the canoe again. He was about to command Hailstorm to fly down and make a point but the dragon stopped him before he could.

 _Trust in Moana_ the dragon told is rider.

"Alright." Zyon agreed. He watched as Maui continued to throw Moana off the canoe but the ocean would set her right back on. He even tried to jump off the canoe and swim away but the ocean wasn't having that either. Zyon couldn't help but laugh as it sprayed the demigod in the face. His amusement was cut short when a sudden fog appeared.

"That's weird." Zyon thought to himself. "I hope I don't lose sight of them.

As soon as he thought it the fog began to clear revealing a massive ship the size of a small mountain. Moana and Maui saw it too and accelerated the canoe.

"Hailstorm dive!" Zyon ordered as he unstrapped his war hammer.

Both dragon and rider plunged into the water. Hailstorm emerged just long enough for Zyon to leap from the dragon to the canoe and help Maui and Moana fight some like of coconut creatures. His hard, black iron hammer made loud cracking sound as it struck the coconut armor they wore sending them flying. The one large boat had turned into three and were attempting to surround them. Hailstorm wasn't making it easy for them though as he kept ramming them from below. Suddenly one of the creatures went flying holding on to Heihei being pulled by a rope.

"Maui, they took the heart!" Moana yelled.

"That's a chicken." Maui stated.

"The heart is in the chicken!" she clarified.

Hailstorm surged out of the water trying to catch the two in his jaws but he missed.

"Maui!" Moana begged.

With what could only be described as a battel cry before leaping into the air using the full force of his weight to turn the boat sharply back towards the main ship. The sudden change in direction almost made the two humans lose their balance. They both expected the demigod to jump onto the largest boat but instead turned.

"You're turning? What about the heart?" Moana demanded.

"Forget it you'll never get it back besides you've got a better one." Maui commented pointing to a crudely drawn heart on the oar he was holding. Moana quickly grabbed it and leapt onto the bigger boat. "Hey what am I supposed to steer with? There just going to kill you!"

Zyon attempted to follow but the canoe had already moved to far away.

"Turn us around!" Zyon ordered.

"Forget it kid she's gone!" Maui refused. "Now help me paddle or better yet call that dragon of yours to get us out of here!"

Zyon snapped at this grabbing Maui's necklace and pulled him down to eye level with strength that surprised even the demigod. "Look here demigod I swear if you don't turn us around right now…

He stopped short when a spear lodged in the mast causing them both to look up to see Moana sliding down the rope with Heihei in her teeth. She collided with them causing the chicken to cough up the heart. Moana picked up the heart and Maui grabbed the oar and quickly began steering them between the two smaller ships which were trying to close them in. Blow darts flew at them from every direction. It was going to be close even with Hailstorm giving them an extra push as he surfaced momentarily and dove again creating a wave.

 _CRASH_ The three large ships collided with one another as the smaller canoe sailed clear.

"Yeah! Whoo hoo! We did it!" Moana cheered.

"I have to admit you surprised me girly" Maui gave an amused grin as he began discarding the blow darts "but I'm still not taking that thing back. You can't restore the heart without me and me says no. I'm going to get my hook end of story."

Hailstorm surfaced next to the boat and swam alongside the canoe easily keeping pace with them.

Zyon jumped onto the dragons back and began undoing the straps of the leather saddle. He needed to dry it out and it would cause the dragon pain if he left it there.

"You'd be a hero." Moana chimed. "That is what you're about isn't it?"

"Little girl I am a hero." Maui laughed as he began eating a banana

"Maybe you were but now, you're just the guy who just cursed the world." She informed him taking the banana. "You're no one's hero.

"No one." Maui laughed thinking she was joking but quickly realized she was right.

"But put this back." Moana opened the locket to reveal the heart. "You'd be everyone's hero."

Maui smiled imaging the cheering crowds. It helped that Moana was whisper chanting his name and Mini Maui was illustrating exactly what she was saying.

"I don't know Mo maybe he can't do it. Maybe he's not the great hero everyone thinks he is and is nothing more than a trickster like Loki." Zyon stated as he gathered the saddle and jumped back onto the canoe to store it under the deck.

"Zyon!" Moana scolded.

"Ha! Loki wishes he was as awesome as I am" Maui laughed. 'But he is right about one thing. There's no way I can get past Te Ka, not without my hook."

"So we go get your hook." Moana suggested. "Unless you don't want to be Maui, demigod of the wind and sea, hero to all?"

Maui considered her offer. "First we get my hook." Maui agreed.

"Then save the world." Moana finished holding out her hand in agreement. Maui took it and then proceeded the toss her off the boat. The ocean set her back in front of him.

"Worth a shot." Maui shrugged. "Ok so we go east to the lair of Tamatoa. If anyone has my hook, it's that beady eyed bottom feeder."

Moana watched in amazement as he adjusted their course while Zyon leaned against the mast.

"Teach me to sail!" Moana requested but Maui simply blew her off. "My job is to deliver Maui across the great ocean. I should be sailing."

"it's called Wayfinding princess and it not just sails and knots." Maui stated climbing the mast. "It's seeing where you are in your mind's eye. Knowing where you are by knowing where you've been."

"Ok first I'm not a princess, I'm the daughter of the chief." Moana corrected.

"Same difference." Maui said jumping down.

"No." Moana protested blocking his path.

"If you wear a dress and have an animal side kick you are a princess" Maui said picking her up and placing her in the cargo with Heihei.

Moana looked to Zyon for support.

"Oh no, I'm not getting in the middle of that argument." He said putting his hands up in defense. The truth was that even where he was from the daughter of the chief was a princess but he wasn't going to tell her that.

Maui couldn't help but smirk. "Face it, you are not a wayfinder, you will never be a wayfinder, you will never be a…" he didn't finish his sentence as the ocean stuck him with a blow dart. He collapsed now paralyzed from the toxin inside. "Really, blow dart in my butt cheek?" the demigod asked.

Zyon couldn't help but laugh as the ocean and Moana and the ocean high fived.

"You are bad people." Maui commented as Zyon and Moana rolled him onto the outrigger.

"If you can talk you can teach." Moana smiled picking up the oar "Lesson one, hit it!"

"Pull the sheet!" Maui groaned. "Not the sheet. Nope. No, tried that one."

Zyon wanted to let Moana learn but he also wanted to get where they were going and he had a little bit of knowledge of basic sailing terms. He pulled the sheet earning him a slight glare from Moana.

"There you go." Maui said.

With the demigod incapacitated Hailstorm felt comfortable swimming further away. He could be seen surfacing every now and again as he ensured no monsters came close. Zyon went through the lessons with Moana but was careful to let her all the hands-on stuff even if Maui kept giving her a hard time. He was more interested in the navigation stuff. Sure, he loved it here with Moana but a part of him missed home deeply. Moana eventually fell asleep and Zyon was forced to take over for her. He couldn't help but flinch when Maui began to move again.

"Move over kid." Maui orderd.

Zyon didn't protest and moved to sit by the mast keeping his eyes on the demigod. It didn't take Maui long to notice the suspicions glare.

"What's that look for?" Maui asked.

"Just making sure you don't try anything again." Zyon glared at him.

"Even if I wanted to at this point I'm sure the ocean wouldn't let me or that dragon of yours for that matter. Which reminds me how does a kid like you become a dragon rider?" Maui asked.

It was true Zyon wasn't like other dragon riders. He was scrawny and was never picked to be trained particular because of his powers. "If my village elders had any say I wouldn't have been but when the clutch hatched, Hailstorm chose me instead of one of the candidates." Zyon explained.

"Interesting." Maui said adjusting the course slightly. "You should get some sleep kid. You're going to need it."

Despite Zyon's protests his body eventually gave in to sleep.

* * *

 **Authors notes**

So I know a lot of you are associating this story with HTTYD but the relationship Zyon and Hailstorm have is closer to that of Eragon and Saphira which ironically has much of the same culture as HTTYD. The ancient language in the book is actually based in old Norse according to the author.

The village of Igaliko mentioned in the first chapter is a small village on the southern tip of Greenland

The egg hatching and rider selection was taken from a lesser known book series called The Dragon Riders of Pern.

Please bear with me as it is coming to the end of the school year and I have to put that first. I will get the next chapter posted as soon as I can.


	4. Chapter 4 Lalotai

With sleep came the nightmares and with nightmares came the screaming. There was the same unknown woman but this time he could make out screams from Moana, Hailstorm and what sounded like the demigod he had just met. He was jolted out of the nightmare when he realized one of those screams was real and it was Moana's. He immediately grasped his hammer but stopped when he realized nothing was wrong and Moana had just woken up from a nightmare of her own.

"You know a real Wayfinder never sleeps so they actually get where they're going." Maui joked. "Muscle up buttercup! We're here."

Both Zyon and Moana looked to see the massive spire. Hailstorm was already waiting for them at the base. He looked extremely agitated. It was clear that he didn't like being in this area.

"So your hook's up there?" Moana asked looking up at the top at the spire.

"No that's just the entrance to Lalotai." Maui smirked.

"Lalotai? We're going to the realm of monsters?" Moana asked with a bit of worry in her voice.

"We? No. I'm going to go get my hook while you two stay here with the other chicken." He joked and began to climb.

Zyon rolled his eyes and signaled for Hailstorm to come closer.

 _I don't like this place Zyon_ Hailstorm commented as Zyon and Moana climbed on his back.

"I know Hail but the sooner we get the fishhook the sooner we can get out of here." Zyon responded.

With a sigh, the dragon took flight and landed gripping the side of the spire with his claws letting the two passengers safely climb off.

"Oh sure take the easy way up!" Maui called as he hauled himself over the edge.

"So not seeing an entrance." Moana pointed out.

"Yes that's because it only appears after a human sacrifice." Maui stated giving the most serious expression he could.

Zyon immediately put himself between Maui and Moana and prepared to unstrap his hammer. Hailstorm gave a deep warning growl and was prepared to knock the demigod off the top of the spire when he began to laugh.

"Kidding! I'm kidding. So serious." He continued to laugh before using his great breath to blow the dust away before performing a haka to open it. "Don't worry it's a lot farther down than it looks."

With that he cannonballed in with a cheer. Moana and Zyon glanced down and a distant 'I am still falling' could be heard before a splash. Moana quickly followed suit before Zyon could stop her.

"No way you're getting in through here Hail. Just wait here we'll be back soon." Zyon assured before jumping in after the others. He ended up landing on top of Maui much to the demigod's displeasure.

"Get off!" he ordered throwing Zyon off.

"Sorry." Zyon apologized looking around. "Hey um where's Moana?"

"You're girlfriend? She took a bit of a tumble after landing on me and went off in that direction." Maui said pointing.

"WHAT?" Zyon yelled and started to hurry off in the direction indicated but Maui picked him up stopping him. "Put me down Maui!"

"Will you be quite!" Maui hushed clamping a big hand over his mouth. "You are gonna attract every monster to us and get us both killed.

Zyon just glared daggers at the demigod.

"Look kid I'm going to give you some advice. From what I've seen your girl Moana isn't the kind of girl that needs saving. Protecting her every now and again is ok but treating her like some fragile little thing that can't do anything is going to run her off. She is perfectly capable of protecting herself." Maui explained. "Now I'm going to put you down now but I am not going to go chasing two mortals through Lalotai without my hook. That's suicide kid. I will help you find her once I get my hook Ok?"

True to his word Maui set the kid down. With a heavy sigh Zyon followed behind the demigod to a cave. Much to his surprise Moana was already there. She was peering into the cave but ended up punching Maui when he startled her. Zyon couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh I'm sorry I thought you were a monster." She apologized as Maui picked her up by her head and dropped her behind him

"Stay!" the demigod ordered.

"What? No, I want to help!" Moana protested.

"Look for a thousand years I've only been thinking of keeping this hair silky and getting my hook back" The demigod stated as he tied his hair up. "And it's not going to be messed up by a mortal who has no business in a monster cave except… maybe as bait."

Zyon was about to protest or even offer to take his place when Maui's words came back to him. He let Moana act as bait. He watched as Moana put some gold on making her look sparkly and making a commotion while Maui snuck around the edge of the cave. Neither Moana nor Zyon understood why they couldn't just go up on top of the pile of treasure and get the hook at least until the pile moved revealing a giant 50-foot crab, Tamatoa. The crab picked up Moana and much to everyone's surprise began singing about himself. The song ended with Tamatoa about to eat Moana and Zyon was about to intervene when Maui did it for him. Tamatoa dropped Moana in shock. Maui attempted to shapeshift into a hawk but changed into the wrong animal. He tried again and again with the same result. It was then that everyone realized Maui didn't have control over his shape shifting abilities. Tamatoa took full advantage of this and began beating up Maui. Zyon had had enough. He ran into the cave and struck the crab's dactyl with his hammer but it bounced off harmlessly. It did however distract the crab momentarily but it only led to Tamatoa grabbing both Zyon and Moana and throwing them into some kind of bone cage. It was then that Tamatoa sang something about someone abandoning Maui and revealed a tattoo of a woman throwing a baby into the ocean. With that all the fight in Maui seemed to die and Tamatoa revealed in it. With his attention now totally on Maui the two humans were able to escape their prison. Tamatoa tossed the demigod in his mouth.

"Hey!" Moana yelled getting the crabs attention and holding up what appeared the be the heart. "I got something shiny for you!"

Tamatoa spit Maui out and gawked. "The heart of Te Fiti!" he gasped. "You can't run from me!"

Moana took off in the opposite direction.

"Oh you can you keep surprising me!" Tamatoa commented giving chase.

Moana purposely threw the heart into a crevasse forcing Tamatoa to dig for it. It gave Moana the opportunity to grab the hook and run back to Zyon and Maui. Zyon on the other hand ran to aid the fallen Maui but he wasn't strong enough to support him on his own.

"We've got to go!" Moana commanded giving Maui his hook to use as extra support before moving to help Zyon.

"What about the heart?" Maui questioned.

"He can have it." Moana commented opening her locket revealing the real heart. "I've got a better one."

The hurried out of Tamatoa's lair but they hadn't gotten far when they heard Tamatoa yell "Come back here!"

The giant crab quickly caught up to them and pinned the three of them to the ground. He raised a giant claw to deliver a killing blow when Zyon yelled at the top of his lungs for his dragon. Moments later the giant dragon burst through the ocean roof and slammed into the crab forcing him off the three smaller beings. Tamatoa was surprised at the monster twice his size and growled snapping his claws at the dragon. Hailstorm easily avoided the claws and flipped the giant crab on his back pinning him down with his front paws. Hailstorm looked down at the crab baring his fangs. He was about to unleash his freezing breath which would have surely killed Tamatoa but Zyon stopped him.

"Let's just go." Zyon ordered.

The ice dragon gave the crab one last growl before leaving him on his back and scooping up his rider and the others. Tamatoa was grateful for this. He stood up on his haunches and gently cupped his other paw over them as a shield before jumping back up through the ocean and swam up to the surface. Hailstorm set the three passengers on the canoe and pushed it off.


End file.
